Sometimes for a Fourth of July barbecue it's nice to keep the menu simple, yet still do something a little more creative than the standard barbecue sauce treatment.

That's what I've done today with two Latino-inspired dishes that take less than 30 minutes to prepare. Ask someone else to be in charge of setting up and tending the grill so you can focus on preparing side dishes, if you like, or just on dipping into the salsa and chips.

Former Chronicle intern Kevin Foy created a delicious mango salsa that is easy to make and would go well with both grilled chicken and pork chops.

It's a little different than most salsas in that the star ingredients -- red and yellow sweet peppers, red onion, fresh pineapple and mango -- are grilled for a few minutes before being diced and combined with a tangy lime juice-sugar dressing. You can almost feel the trade winds wafting through the palms as you eat it.

The Rib-Eye Steak & Corn With Chipotle-Lime Butter is a decadent way to celebrate Independence Day. You add a few coins of the spicy-tangy composed butter to the steak while it's still hot from the grill, and slather a little on the corn, too, while you're at it.

Chipotle peppers, which are available in most supermarkets, make the butter fairly spicy, but the fire dissipates as it melts on the meat.

If you have one, use a microplaner to zest the lime for the composed butter, otherwise any fine grater will work, as long as you don't grate past the dark green zest into the bitter white pith.

Both the steak and a simple grilled chicken with the mango salsa would pair well with coleslaw and baked potatoes, or warmed tortillas or garlic bread.

Fruity, hearty red wines with hints of spice, such as California Zinfandel and Syrah, are terrific with barbecued meat. Summer is also the right time for ice-cold, refreshing lager beers.

Rib-Eye Steak & Corn With Chipotle-Lime Butter

The seasoned butter may be prepared days ahead of time. You'll have leftover butter, which freezes well.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup (4 ounces) butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon grated lime zest

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon pureed canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

4 ears of fresh corn, shucked

Four 6-ounce rib-eye steaks, each about 1 inch thick

INSTRUCTIONS:

Prepare a hot fire in a barbecue grill.

Combine butter, lime zest, lime juice and chipotle. Add salt, if needed. Using a spatula, scrape mixture into a rough log shape on a piece of plastic wrap, then use plastic wrap to help roll mixture into a 1-inch diameter log. Wrap tightly. Place in freezer for 5 minutes, until firm. Transfer to refrigerator.

Steam or boil the corn until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

Season steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. When coals are ready, put steaks and corn on grate. Cook meat for 4 minutes for medium. Turn and cook for 4 minutes longer. Corn may take a few minutes longer to brown on all sides. Remove steaks, tent with foil and set aside for about 5 minutes. Slice butter into thin coins and place a few on each steak as you serve it. Use additional butter and salt to season corn.

This salsa, devised by former Food section intern Kevin Foy, goes well with grilled chicken or other poultry, or pork.

INGREDIENTS:

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

1/2 large red onion

2 Champagne mangos

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, or to taste

2 teaspoons sugar

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 fresh pineapple rings, each about 1/4 inch thick

{obox} Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Prepare a low fire in a barbecue grill.

Cut top and bottom off bell peppers and remove seeds. Cut peppers in half.

Cut the onion half into 1/4-inch-thick slices, being careful to keep the slices intact.

Peel the mangos and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (depending on where the seed is, you may have cut them slightly thinner).

Mix together the lime juice and sugar; set aside.

Brush the pepper halves and onion slices with olive oil. Place the fruit and vegetables on the grill (you may need a metal fine mesh grill for the onion slices). The mangos and the pineapple will be done first; they should take about 4 minutes per side. The onions and peppers will take about 4 or 5 minutes per side. (Alternatively, if the mangoes are too ripe, don't grill them.)

Remove the fruit and vegetables from the grill and cut into 1/8-inch dice. Toss with the lime juice-sugar mixture. Season with salt. Best served warm.

-- The nutritional analysis that follows each recipe does not include optional ingredients. Garnishes and suggested accompaniments are not included unless specific amounts are given.

-- When there is a range of servings, the larger number is used. If there is a range in the amount of an ingredient, the smaller amount is used. When a recipe lists a choice of ingredients, the first is used.